Chapter 49

Its been about 4 days since that incident back at Starbucks. I haven't seen Jaber or Nour in GUST for the last few days.

"Banat, shiftow Nour elyoum?" Hawra'a stuck her head out of her Algebra textbook and hissed towards Lulu, Fajer and I in class.

"La2, shiftow Jaber?" Fajer replied whilst her forehead furrowed in confusion, her hair up in a sleek ponytail.

"El'9aher the plan scared them off." Lulu wigged her arched eyebrows at us, her cat-like eyes full of excitement.

All of us ended up giggling, attracting attention from our fellow peers. The professor gave us a glare from far away once he heard our giggles and we abruptly stopped, silencing our devilish laughs.

Lulu passed me a note with her manicured hands, I pulled the note open and read the following words:

I HEARD NOUR WENT BACK TO LONDON AND JABER IS IN THE USA. :O

I feverishly wrote onto the lined paper replying to her and saying:

 Shdarach?!:O

She wrote just as fast and I read her words on the note:

Ya3goub told me ams when I asked about them. Ya3goub took Jaber to the airport w Jaber told Ya3goub about Nour going back to London 2 days ago. :O

I smiled at the note, feeling the rush of happiness flood into me as I found out that Nour and Jaber were finally out of my life. It only took Jaber to listen to the recorded voice note of our conversation back at Starbucks 4 days ago to frighten him. We didn't even have to verbally threaten him.

He had finally let go of my arm and S3ood had ushered me outside of Starbucks, leaving Jaber alone with his cold mocha latte that resembled his mood that day.

Class was finally over, we practically rushed out of the room and Lulu was about to collide with Rakan because of how fast we were walking.

"Offh." Lulu rubbed her forehead once it made contact with Rakan's muscled arm. Rakan smiled at Lulu, greeting her. However, Lulu didn't meet Rakan's eyes and hurried over to my side, ignoring Rakan altogether.

Rakan's eyes were full of emotions but one was truly obvious, he was hurt.

Out of nowhere, I remembered something strange. When Rakan was staring at me weeks ago, Lulu watched the whole thing. When Rakan brushed his cheek against mine, it was in front of Lulu's friends. He seemed to do everything flirtatious to me whenever Lulu was present.

And suddenly, I knew what was going on.

"Lulu, ni6ray." I let Hawra'a and Fajer walk away and held onto Lulu's arm.

"Rakan, ta3al." I was holding Lulu's arm, forcing her to follow me towards where Rakan was standing alone. Rakan looked up from his iPhone and was surprised to find me with Lulu, standing in front of him.

"Shoug, khala9." Lulu tried to escape but my grip on her arm was firm but gentle.

"You two, fix this fight now. You two like each other, don't you?" Lulu's cheeks blushed once she heard me bluntly tell Rakan about her feelings. Rakan suddenly turned shy.

"Um.." Rakan fidgeted, his hands dug deep into the pockets of his AE sweat pants. "I do."

"Shnuuuuu?" Lulu gaped at Rakan, her mouth hanging open in pure shock.

"I knew it." I smiled giddily to myself. I was this close to doing my little happy dance.

"Bas digeega, he likes you Shoug. It's so obvious that he does." Lulu's old feelings of being hurt had returned and was all over her face.

"I don't. Sorry Shoug, bas entay 7sbat ekhty." Rakan's eyes were solely on Lulu, watching her every movement, mesmerized by her. Rakan only noticed Lulu, she was the person who lit up the room for him, she was that sparkling diamond that attracted his attention.

"Ee adry Rakan." My smile widened. I can't believe it, why didn't I see this before? It was so obvious, just the way that he seemed to look at her. As if she was the only person in the room.

"Bas bas.. it doesn't make sense! You're ALWAYS trying to sit next to Shoug, you're ALWAYS staring at her, come on.." Lulu looked at me apologetically as in to say 'Sorry, but you know it's true'.

"I only did that so I could try to get you jealous." Rakan practically whispered, too shy of what he did.

"WHAT?" Lulu literally yelled.

"Haday 9outich." I nudged her arm and Lulu obeyed, there were students passing us, giving us awkward glances.

"What?" Lulu repeated in a much quieter and polite tone.

"Lulu, ana el ghabeya. Rakan only tried to flirt when you were present or when your friends were. He never tried to flirt when I was alone. He was trying to get you jealous." I explained.

"Bil'9ab6.. is it true that, you, uhm, like me back?" Rakan lowered his eyes down to the floor, his cheeks turning pink a little.

"Uhm.." Lulu tried to hide behind me, her cheeks obviously red.

"Waii entow, yalla 3ad. I have class in 2 minutes, can you hurry it up? You're worse than the Turkey series Lisa-Anne always watches." I rolled my eyes, trying to quicken the conversation.

"Eee, I like you too." Lulu shyly stated. Rakan's face lit up, his smile taking up most of his face.

"9ej?" Rakan's smile widened.

"Mmmm." Lulu nodded shyly, smiling back.

"Yalla, I'm going." I left and let them speak alone. They practically ignored my goodbye, as if I wasn't even there from the start. Even from far, I could see how happy Rakan and Lulu were.

"Shoug, shiftay el new transfer student?" Hawra'a stopped me in my track, her eyes lighting up.

"La2, mnu?" I asked, curious as I paused in the hallways.

"He's so cute, his name is Ali." Hawra'a was practically jumping up and down.

My blood ran cold. Ali? No, it can't be Ali Ali. The Ali I knew..

There are a lot of Alis in this country.

"He's S3ood's cousin." Hawra'a said dreamily.

No. No no no. Can it be that.. No Shoug, stop thinking so negatively.

"Where is he?" I kept looking around, expecting to find the Ali I knew from high school hidden somewhere. My negative thoughts got the best of me.

"Kahoo." Hawra'a whispered, gesturing the the table where S3ood and his friends always hung out at.

I took quick steps forward, trying to look for this Ali.

 My eyes roamed over the heads of Saleh, Ya3goub and S3ood. There was a tall muscled figure, next to S3ood, engaged in a conversation with him. He had his back to me and I couldn't see his face.

S3ood noticed me looking at his group of friends, he gave me a dimpled smile from far. The muscled figure turned to look at who S3ood was smiling to.

I sighed in relief as I noticed the muscled figure had a saksooka, tanned skin and didn't look anything like the Ali from high school.

"He's so cute." Hawra'a stared at Ali. Ali gave Hawra'a a special smile and if I wasn't holding onto Hawra'a arm, she would have probably fainted.

"Hawra'a, he's not Justin Bieber." I turned to look at her dreamy eyes.

"Exactly, he's even better." Hawra'a happily sighed.

I laughed at her behavior, there was too much love in the air.



-



"Shoug?" I was tucked under the covers of my bed, hugging my pillow and my blackberry was up against my ear.

"Mmm?" I whispered into my phone, trying to keep my voice quiet.

"Your 18th birthday is tomorrow." S3ood reminded me, I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Is it?" I teased.

"La etgouleenly neseitay youm meladich b3ad." S3ood chuckled. His laugh sent a shiver down my spine, I couldn't get enough of his deep voice that always made me feel safe and secure.

"La la ma neseit, idiot." I giggled.

"Tara ma y9eer chithe, lazem etdal3eeny shway." S3ood tried to act serious.

"Eee ga3da adal3ek, you're my idiot. Doesn't that count?" I bit my bottom lip.

"It does when it's coming from you beautiful." S3ood replied quietly.

I was suddenly speechless. I always couldn't find the right words to say because he had this effect over me. He could make me smile, make me shy, angry or even jealous in just a few seconds. It was hypnotizing.

"Shoug? Nimtay? It's only 11:58pm." S3ood chuckled as he noticed how quiet I've become. He could feel my shyness, even through the phone. I felt grateful that he didn't point it out bluntly.

"I'm nocturnal, shfeek? I don't sleep now, I sleep at 5 am. I'm a vampire." I tried to imitate an evil laugh. S3ood ended up laughing at my fail attempt.

"3yal ana Edward men Twilight?" S3ood couldn't stop laughing, he pushed his words out in between his adorable laughs.

"La la, enta a7la mena." I laughed along, pulling the covers over my head so my laughs were muffled. I couldn't risk my parents over hearing our silly conversation.

"Shoug, look at the time. Bsr3a!" S3ood suddenly sounded serious.

"Okay, digeega." I let go of my blackberry to look at the time. It was perfectly 12:00am.

 It was my birthday, I smiled to myself as I pressed the blackberry back up against my ear.

"Alllaaah, it's someone's birthday." I bit harder onto my bottom lip.

"And she's one gorgeous girl. Happy birthday galbe, I love you so much." S3ood's tone was full of love, I blushed.

"Thank you, I love you more." I shyly replied.

"Shoug, one more thing.." S3ood shyly stated.

"Yeah..?"

"I have a surprise for you." S3ood whispered sneakily.

"Surprise?" I pushed the covers off of me, sitting up straight.

"Get dressed and meet me downstairs in 10 minutes." He said before he hung up on me.

Downstairs?! 

What did he mean by that? 

I quickly grabbed my violet Juicy dress that was thrown over my chair, sliding it onto my body once I changed out of my top and PJ shorts. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to add more volume to my curls.

My blackberry was vibrating uncontrollably on my bed sheets, I quickly grabbed it and answered the call, knowing that it would be S3ood.

"Yalla weinich? Sa3a?" S3ood chuckled.

"What are you doing here?!" I asked, shocked.

"Not answering. Yalla bsr3a ta3alay ta7at." S3ood hung up on me AGAIN, without answering me or so much of a "bye".

I plastered on some lipstick over my nude lips, trying to freshen them up as I was hurrying down the stairs. I noticed that the living room downstairs was pitch black. I tried not to trip on the stairs. Non of the lights were open and I couldn't see a thing.

And in a few minutes, all of the lights in the living room were switched on. My eyes adjusted to what was in front of me.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUG!" The crowd of people cheered out. I noticed my parents were standing in front, S3ood was behind them with the girls, Fajer, Lulu, Hawra'a and Shaikha.

"Shoug! Shfeech emse6la?" Mom laughed, approaching me. There were dozens of balloons everywhere, confetti on the ground and everyone class were dressed up. I felt out of place in my casual Juicy dress and plain lipstick.

I tried to digest the whole thing. S3ood, standing with my parents? He was speaking to me in front of them? And when did they plan this party? All of these numerous questions were waving in and out of my head.

"Thank you." I forced the words out of my mouth, my body frigid and still in shock. The crowd laughed at my reply. Each person took turns to approach me, telling me 'happy birthday' or 'el 3umr kela 7abebty'.

My brothers were nowhere to be seen but my parents had both showered me with kisses before going to the older people to mingle.

"Ha, shrayech?" S3ood finally approached me once I was clear of the other people.

"This was all.. from you?" My mouth was hanging open.

"Partly, your friends helped out a lot too. There's more to the surprise ya 7lwa." S3ood gave me a dimpled smile.

"S3ood wait.. my parents.. they know about us?" My eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

S3ood gave me another dimpled smile, ignoring my question. He walked over to where my parents stood, leaving me standing with the girls.

"Shel salfa?" I tried to ask Lulu, Fajer, Shaikha or even Hawra'a. They didn't answer.

"Ni6ray shway, you're so impatient." Lulu laughed. I watched S3ood speak to my parents, his eyes shifting from theirs to mine every few minutes. S3ood finally left my parents and stood in the middle of the party decorated living room.

"YA JEMA3A." S3ood yelled to quiet down the crowd. "Fee 3rousa bel ghurfa."

The crowd all 'whoo-ed', turning around to find the girl. S3ood's eyes were staring into mine, never leaving mine as he slowly walked over to me in his Louis Vuittion shirt and dark jeans.

"So what do you say Shoug, et9ereen 3rousty?" S3ood whispered faintly, but his voice was heard.

Every person in the room turned to stare at us in pure shock. I looked over to my parents, they had a smile on their faces and didn't look like they were about to kill me or surprised by S3ood's sudden exclamation.

"How.. shloun.." I mumbled, too shy to say anything else as I felt numerous eyes on S3ood and I, watching everything.

"Shoug, will you marry me?" S3ood ignored my shocked words, his smile widening as he repeated the question.